Longing for Her Beloved
Oh that you were like a brother to me
who nursed at my mother’s breasts!
If I found you outside, I would kiss you,
and none would despise me.
2 I would lead you and abring you
into the house of my mother—
she who used to teach me.
I would give you bspiced wine to drink,
the juice of my pomegranate.
3 aHis left hand is under my head,
and his right hand embraces me!
4 I aadjure you, O bdaughters of Jerusalem,
cthat you not stir up or awaken love
until it pleases.
5 aWho is that coming up from the wilderness,
leaning on her beloved?
Under the apple tree I awakened you.
There your mother was in labor with you;
there she who bore you was in labor.
6 Set me as a seal upon your heart,
as aa seal upon your arm,
for blove is strong as death,
cjealousy is fierce as the grave.
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
the very dflame of the Lord.
7 Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can floods drown it.
If a man offered for love
all the wealth of his ahouse,
he would be utterly despised.
Final Advice
Others
8 We have a little sister,
and she ahas no breasts.
What shall we do for our sister
on the day when she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
we will build on her a battlement of silver,
but if she is a door,
we will enclose her with aboards of cedar.
She
10 aI was a wall,
and my bbreasts were like towers;
then I was in his eyes
as one who finds peace.
11 Solomon had aa vineyard at Baal‑hamon;
he blet out the vineyard to ckeepers;
each one was to bring for its fruit da thousand pieces of silver.
12 My vineyard, my very own, is before me;
you, O Solomon, may have the thousand,
and athe keepers of the fruit two hundred.
He
13 aO you who dwell in the gardens,
with bcompanions listening for your voice;
clet me hear it.
She
14 aMake haste, my beloved,
and be blike a gazelle
or a young stag
on cthe mountains of spices.